I’m seriously thinking that Social Media is becoming less than social, perhaps even toxic for creators in 2020. I keep asking myself: What function does it serve in my life/career during this tumultuous time?
On the one hand, I can see, of course, that I get to keep in contact with friends, family, and friends (fans). That’s the most important function. The second is to reach audiences old and new for the work, the music, the art, the thoughts. I would never argue that Social Media isn’t important as a tool for creators. It is. But are there better tools in the distance?
Posts, videos, photos, and Ads can and do have reach and impact. And that’s a necessity for any creator, especially now. But how long will that be the case? How long before FB, IG, YT all go the way of the dodo like Myspace? What if the band you love is too anarchistic and is censured? What if that painter you admire has one too many nudes? What if the only voice that gets through is the one “pop culture” and “bully culture” (you see only what we want you to see or we cancel you)? This seems to be the trend in my opinion. And it’s only getting worse. Just look around.
I mean, as a creator I could always keep using the Ad functions and not post ever again on the given platform itself (Joe Rogan left Youtube for Spotify but still posts snippets on YouTube). I could move to a decentralized, or block-chain-based site where things begin from the ground up with my privacy (and yours) in mind. That’s one thought. I could run ads on FB/IG to encourage others to join me there. Eventually, the saturation point will hit on this tired Pop-Only universe. The need for the good days of social (Remember when Myspace was fun, or YouTube new?) peppered with public ownership of private data would certainly make this happen.
Another thought is a novel idea that I should be paid by others to use my data for ads. That’s right. Think about it. We join FB for free, to post pics, videos, and notes. But they (SOCIAL) gets to use all that data to not only serve you ads but also sell this data to others. Would it not be better to pay a monthly fee and never get an ad or have my privacy compromised? Or… Have say, #Coke pay me if they want to serve ads on my profile rather than the platform? My data has value. My tastes, my recommendations have value.
I think that by now, all of us are becoming aware of this fact. What you like, what you share, what you talk about: All of it has value, or Facebook would not be here. But does it serve you as a person? Or is it just baseless entertainment (a costly one if you factor in security and data permission we give away for ‘free’). Is a revolution in sight for Social Media?
This will need further inquiry and insight. What do you think?
